Weekend Trips 2009

These are the weekend trips that are scheduled in 2009.

Fred Dieckamp
2009 Weekend Trips Coordinator
Weekends@5BBC.org

Earliest Weekend Trip Yet
Washington, D.C. CHERRY BLOSSOMS IN DC
March 27-March 29* (Friday evening to Sunday late afternoon)

Trip No. CBD
Deposit: $150
Regular price: $245
Transportation: bus / self-contained
Lodging: hotel; shared rooms, double accommodation
Trip Rating: B
Mileage: Flexible; Approximately 25 - 35 miles per day, relatively flat
Leaders: Fred Dieckamp & Brian Hoberman

This spring check out the Cherry Blossoms in Washington, DC! Our weekend trip views trees in bloom at Washington's monuments and other park locations around the Tidal Basin. The ride will continue to Arlington National Cemetery and along the Potomac to Mt. Vernon, the home of George Washington. Dinner will be in Arlington's Old Town. The other day's ride will include quick side trips to Georgetown, the memorials to FDR, Jefferson, Lincoln and WWII before boarding a bus back to NYC. * Please note that the National Cherry Blossom Festival is planned to coincide as nearly as possible with the blooming of the trees. Although an accurate prediction on the blooming period cannot be made very far in advance, this weekend trip departs Friday, March 27th. Also, the trip goes whatever the weather. Snow or rain necessitates Washington's museums and galleries!

Scenic, Simple, Convenient, and Comfortable - the 5BBC's Springtime Classic
MONTAUK CENTURY WEEKEND
May 16-May 17 (depart Saturday morning, return Sunday evening)
Trip No. MCWSpace Available: 12 people
Deposit: $150
Regular price: $275
Late registration premium $10; effective May 6
Transportation: van
Lodging: motel, double accommodations
Trip Rating: AMileage/Terrain:
Between 50 - 100 miles per day, mostly flat
Leaders: Martial Henry and Wentworth Price

For years cyclists from across the Northeast have come together to ride a springtime classic, the 5BBC Montauk Century. There's no wonder why: the ride is flat, scenic and superbly supported. Though not everyone is up for biking 145 miles from Manhattan to Montauk in one day, now you can do it in two days on our fourth annual Montauk Century Weekend! You'll start pedaling east from Manhattan Saturday morning, following the official Montauk Century route, and being supported by a private SAG van, which will also tote your weekend bag. That evening, we'll gather for a fine dinner together and then retire for the evening at a quaint country motel on the East End. Sunday morning, we'll have a simple country breakfast and join the throng for the rest of the route out to Montauk, enjoying all that the Montauk Century has to offer. After you arrive in Montauk, just hop in our van and we'll bring you, your bike and gear, back to the city. Scenic, Simple, Convenient, and Comfortable.

Memorial Day Weekend in Amish Country
PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH TREAT
May 22-May 25 (Friday morning to Monday evening)
Trip No. PDT
Deposit: $150.  
Regular price: $375
Early-bird discount price (Deadline April 22): $338
Transportation: van or carpooling
Lodging: farmhouse; shared rooms, double or triple accommodations
Trip Rating: B
Mileage: Moderate, 40 per day on rolling hills
Leaders: Steve Sakson & Andrea Mercado

Step back to a simpler time during our trip to bucolic Lancaster County, the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country.   We'll ride up and down rolling farmlands, through lush pastures, and over historic covered bridges, accompanied by the clip-clop of horse-drawn carriages and the friendly smiles of Amish farmers.   We'll visit a working grist mill, and picnic on the site of an early settlement village.   We'll lodge at local B&B, home to a working dairy farm, where we'll experience the country life, first hand, including a chance to milk the cows.   Dinner will be a unique experience every night.   One evening, we'll be guests at the home of an Amish family.   We'll also partake of a traditional Penn Dutch all-you-can-eat smorgasbord, and we'll cap off the weekend with an elegant dinner at a historic colonial inn.   Great for singles and couples.

Return of a "Classic"
BEAR MOUNTAIN - HARRIMAN STATE PARK
May 23-May 25 (Saturday morning to Monday evening)
Trip No. BM
Space available: 15 people
Deposit: Pay in Full
Regular price: $140
Early-bird discount price (Deadline April 23): $126
Transportation: Self-contained
Lodging: Cabins/dorm rooms
Trip Rating: A
Mileage: Hard, 50 each way with some very steep hills
Leaders: Ira Najowitz and Manny Sanudo

Our host location for this adventure-filled trek is the rustic Camp Thendara (www.thendaramountainclub.org), a 90-year-old mountaintop lodge complete with stone fireplace, on Lake Tiorati in Harriman State Park. We will cycle 50 hilly miles from midtown Manhattan on Saturday, going "self-contained", meaning we'll carry all our gear on our bikes. A REAR RACK AND PANNIERS TO CARRY YOUR GEAR ARE REQUIRED. Sunday offers a variety of options: swimming, boating, hiking, biking in the park, or just relaxing. Home-cooked breakfasts and dinners, along with trail lunches, are all included in the price. Guests at Camp Thendara prepare their meals together and perform light clean-up chores. On Monday, we'll bike home via a different route, with plenty of quiet back roads.  

July 4th Holiday Weekend Trip to the Pioneer Connecticut River Valley
AMHERST WEEKEND

July 2-5 (Thursday evening to Sunday evening)
Trip No.: AW
Space available: 7 people
Deposit: $150
Regular price: $380
Early-bird discount price (Deadline June 4): $340
Transportation: van and/or carpooling
Lodging: eco lodge (private and dorm-like accommodations)
Trip rating: B
Mileage: Various, on rolling hills
Leaders: Josh Gosciak & Fred Dieckamp

What better way to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday than a bicycle tour around Amherst, Massachusetts, gateway to the beautiful Pioneer Connecticut River Valley? We'll spend the weekend at a mountaintop retreat, a self-styled Eco-village with solar-powered sauna and foods grown on site. After a cozy night in the bunk (there are private and dorm-like accommodations), we'll chow down to a sumptuous breakfast before coasting (literally) downhill to the famous Norwottuck Rail Trail. We'll travel along the Connecticut River, to Greenfield and Poet's Seat, with majestic views of the valley, then on to Historic Deerfield and Northampton. Saturday, we'll take go for a ride and a swim.   Sunday, we'll take it easy visiting Amherst's sites.   Possible sites include: the Peace Pagoda, the Yiddish Museum, Emily Dickinson's home. This trip includes van to and from Amherst, three-night's accommodation, with breakfasts, two dinners and a (possibly vegetarian?) BBQ.

Be among the first to see Eleanor Roosevelt's Cottage in Hyde Park
SEEKIN' HYDE PARK
August 1-2 (Saturday morning to Sunday afternoon)
Trip No. SHP
Deposit: $150
Regular price: $215
Early-bird discount price (Deadline July 1): $195
Transportation: Metro North Railroad and self-contained
Lodging: College campus
Trip rating: B/C (mostly B)
Mileage: 90 miles in 2 days, some hills
Leaders: Susan Levine and Brian Hoberman

Come join us for a self-contained foray into the natural and cultural riches of the Hudson Valley.   We depart from Grand Central Station on Saturday morning, and take MetroNorth to Cold Spring.   Fifty hilly (and beautiful) miles of riding will bring us to Vassar College's elegant Alumnae House, where we'll stay for the night.   Dinner is at a near-by restaurant owned and operated by a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America.   Following dinner, a short walk through the Vassar campus for a performance at the Powerhouse Theater, where such highly regarded actors as David Strathairn, Idina Menzel, and Frances McDormand have appeared in recent years. On Sunday morning, enjoy an all-you-can-eat breakfast in the stunning dining room at Alumnae House before we cycle to Val-Kill, Eleanor Roosevelt's retreat (and furniture factory!) in Hyde Park.   We'll take a tour of the house and grounds before returning to Alumnae House to pick up our gear, and bike to the Poughkeepsie train station for the return trip to Grand Central.

A Taconic Treat
BASH BISH BASH
August 22-23 (depart Saturday morning, return Sunday night)
Trip No. BBB
Space available: 15 people
Deposit: $115
Regular price: $165
Early-bird discount price (Deadline July 22): $150
Transportation: Metro-North Railroad / self-contained
Lodging: budget lodge (semi-private rooms & communal bath)
Trip rating: A/B
Mileage: flat-to-hilly, 110 miles in 2 day
Leaders: Jim Zisfein and Ed Ravin

This 2-day tour through Dutchess and Columbia Counties features spectacular mountain views and rolling country hills. On Day 1, Metro North takes us to the heart of the Harlem Valley where we will ride rail trails and rural roads alongside the Taconic mountain range. We will visit beautiful Bash Bish Falls, enjoy the view from Sunset Rock, and swim in a pond formed from an abandoned iron ore mine. On Day 2, the mountains give way to rolling hills. We will finish our ride in Poughkeepsie where we can check out the newly rehabbed "Walkway Over the Hudson" and savor the best chili you ever ate before catching the train home. Most of the ride will be level to moderately hilly; one steep mountain climb is optional. Our ride is self-contained so you should be comfortable traveling 50-60 miles per day carrying panniers or a backpack with your clothing and supplies.

Escape NYC for a Labor Day Weekend Caper
CAPE COD RETREAT
September 4-7 (depart Friday mid-afternoon, return Monday evening)
Trip No. CCR
Deposit: $150
Regular price: $365
Early-bird discount price (Deadline Aug. 4): $330
Transportation: van and/or carpooling
Lodging: hostel, dorm rooms
Trip rating: B/C (mostly C)
Mileage: Easy to moderate, 25 to 35 miles per day
Leaders: Fred Dieckamp & TBD

Cape Cod's beaches and pine forests are easily accessible via gentle rail trails with occasional rolling hills.   On Friday night, we'll do a full moon ride, so bike lights are a necessity.   We hope to stay at the tranquil hostel in Truro, a short walk from the ocean.   The next day, after exploring Provincetown, we'll cycle out of town to hit the dune trails. Another day, we'll go kayaking or whale watching.   There are also options to swim at either the national seashore beaches or at a freshwater lake.   Don't miss the seafood!   This is a good trip for first-time visitors and shore-lovers alike.

Easiest 100 miles in the East
SEA GULL CENTURY
October 9-11 (Friday afternoon to Sunday evening)
Trip No. SGC
Deposit: $150
Regular price: $425
Early bird discount price (Deadline Sept. 9): $383
Transportation: Van or carpool
Lodging: Motel, double accommodations
Trip Rating: A/B/C
Mileage: 65 miles or 100 miles, mostly flat
Leaders: Steve Sakson and Wentworth Price

This annual event is often rated the best century ride in the East, and the easiest!   No wonder it attracts more than 6,000 riders every year.   But, don't worry about crowds.   The Seagull features only quiet country roads through the Chesapeake Bay's finest farmland.   Sponsor Salisbury University offers top-notch support with plenty of rest stops loaded with goodies, including pie a la mode.   By midday we'll reach Assateague Island State Park, where the wild ponies roam, and where you can take a dip in the ocean before heading back.   Saturday night features a hilarious karaoke scene with the finest local talent, or perhaps an extreme bowling excursion featuring dayglow pins and blacklights.   Sunday we'll take a shorter cool-down ride before heading home.

Summary of weekend trip rules

1. To go on a weekend trip you must be a member of the Five Borough Bicycle Club.

2. Our rides come in several varieties. In some cases we take vans or carpools to locations within 6-hour drives, and ride through the locale. In others, we go self-contained, meaning you carry most or all of your overnight gear with you. On these trips, we either bike from a specific meeting place in the metro area, or take commuter trains to nearby starting points.

3. You may sign up by mail, and pay using a check or money order, by using this form and mailing it to the 5BBC, 891 Amsterdam Ave., New York, 10025.  Or you can register online at www.active.com where registration fees apply.  When registering by mail, you may enclose just a deposit (exact amount listed with each trip), but must make full payment no less than 7 days before the trip.  We offer a 10% discount for early registration, more than 30 days prior to the trip.  To be eligible for the discount, you must make full payment by the early discount deadline, which is listed with each trip.  When registering online a small fee applies, and you must pay the full amount up front. 

4. Cancellations, or transfers between trips, are restricted by club rules, and subject to withholding costs based on non-refundable expenses incurred by the club, such as lodging and event fees.  Full refunds are available if you find a substitute to take your place.  No refunds for cancellations less than 14 days prior to a trip.

5. Your trip leaders will contact you a week or so before the trip to confirm your attendance, inform you of the details of the trip, answer your questions and tell you the meeting place and time.   Questions?  E-mail weekends@5bbc.org

6. Full recitation of weekend trip rules can be found here.

Click for archive of weekend trips from: 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, and 2004.